White Vinegar and baking soda as cleaning products (cost, best, countertop)

[gentlearts]

I found out you can clean coins with baking soda and also silver. It does a super job.

[Emeraldmaiden]

Originally Posted by MaryleeII

Ok, I'm a fan of vinegar for cleaning, and vinegar and baking soda to clean drains.

But I have never gotten good results using baking soda as a scrub. We have a black sink, and I don't want to scratch it up using comet, etc. I've tried baking soda, seems no matter how much I rinse, it dries so streaked it looks worse than before! Same for everything I use baking soda on---it dries with so much residue it looks worse than when you started, no matter how much I rinse! So, what am I doing wrong?

Did you try using vinegar in your rinse water? Vinegar is a rinse agent, not a cleaning agent. See if that helps.

[L0ve]

I have not bought chemical cleaners in years.

For window cleaner, just mix vinegar and a bottle of rubbing alcohol...zero streaks.

[dizzybint]

I use vinegar on my worktops as it kills germs, the smell goes away quickly .... I also use it for windows, fabric softener and other jobs around the house....we dont need the Mr Muscles etc... and bad for you and the environment.

[jaybb]

I put 1/2 cup of baking soda down kitchen drain followed by 1/2 cup of hot vinegar. Immediate interaction (wear glasses). Cleaned clogged drain. I would never think of using those strong drain cleaners--not good for plumbing parts.

[plwhit]

Originally Posted by GloryB

Vinegar Tips - 1001 Uses for white distilled vinegar.
1001 Uses for Vinegar

75 Extraordinary Uses for Baking Soda | Life Hackery
61 Uses for Baking Soda

Vinegar and Baking Soda Cleaning Recipes (http://www.natural-healthy-home-clea...ng_recipes.htm - broken link)
Cleaning recipes

Maybe these sites will help you out!

IMO these should be moved to the Interesting web sites sticky

[MaryleeII]

I've found vinegar gets soap out of stiff towels. Just wash as usual, then run another cycle with vinegar. Its incredible, the soap that comes out! I rinsed a load of towels 4x with vinegar, each time getting suds out. finally, they rinsed clear---the towels looked and felt brand new!

[tjay]

I buy a bag of lemons once or twice a month, peel the rinds to save/freeze, squeeze out the juice for a lemony treat, then put the rinds in a mason jar and pour vinegar over. Let it sit for 2 weeks and sift out all the pieces. Excellent cleaner...use it with baking soda to clean my whole bathroom: toilet, sink, tub, floor. I love how the bathroom has no smell when I'm done. Just a hint of lemon really. That nasty chemical smell is history and I don't mind cleaning the bathroom now (don't have to wear gloves either!).

[Newdaawn]

I've been adding a 1/2 cup of baking soda to my wash - top loader - recently and it seems to make the detergent work better. Clothes also smell great.

[chiroptera]

Originally Posted by tjay

I buy a bag of lemons once or twice a month, peel the rinds to save/freeze, squeeze out the juice for a lemony treat, then put the rinds in a mason jar and pour vinegar over. Let it sit for 2 weeks and sift out all the pieces. Excellent cleaner...use it with baking soda to clean my whole bathroom: toilet, sink, tub, floor. I love how the bathroom has no smell when I'm done. Just a hint of lemon really. That nasty chemical smell is history and I don't mind cleaning the bathroom now (don't have to wear gloves either!).

I LOVE this, thank you!
I've been using vinegar as a general cleaner (and for glass in particular) since dinosaurs roamed the earth and the idea of incorporating citrus is really appealing to me.

White vinegar is also amazing for getting out animal stains and neutralizing, ummm, unpleasant odors.
Several years ago I had a stray kitten with digestive issues and he had dire rear all over a practically new mattress. I thought I'd just have to toss it but someone suggested that after surface cleaning, to soak it in vinegar then put it outside for a sunny day to dry out. Zero smell or stain after that; mattress saved.

I've used vinegar to clean up after puppies and cats for years; it does a wonderful job of neutralizing the odor.